June 9, 2022, 2 p.m.

Meeting Place

Zoom

Facilitator

Kristin King

Attendees

Members in Attendance

Cynthia Maskey, dean, health professions; Jason Dockter, AVP, academic services; Micaela Childress, student success coach; Fabiola Gonzalez, student success coach; Lindsey Weihmeir, admissions specialist; Rajagopal Sreedhar, medical director; Jan Szoke, program director; Michael Meyers, clinical coordinator; Kelly Skouby, class of 2023; Kristin King, class of 2016 (past grad) chair; John Sanford, OSF-Peoria; Wendy Miller, St. John’s Hospital; Felicia Strauch, St. John’s Hospital; Tamara Ajagbe, Springfield Memorial Hospital; Lori Valentine, Springfield Memorial Hospital Sheryl Roberts, Springfield Memorial Hospital Sheila Leggett, Springfield Clinic

Members Absent

Laurel Bretz, Director, Community Education; Karen Sanders, Executive Director, LLCC Foundation; Lori Badgley, Instructor; Stevi Surratt, Instructor-Manager, JMH; Greg Lowe, public member; Emily Hasara, science, Tri-City High School; Matt Buchanan, Carlinville Area Hospital; Andreas Criel, Decatur Memorial Hospital; Carol Ramm-ALA in Illinois; Lora Polley, Taylorville Memorial Hospital

Guests

N/A

Agenda

1. Welcome and open meeting  
2. Distinguished RRT award – second year in a row
3. Self-study and site visit for continuing accreditation
4. CoARC annual report 2022
5. TMC and CSE action plan for 2021 results
6. Outcomes for 2022 grads so far
7. CoARC surveys 2022
8. Current/upcoming cohorts
9. Report from lab coordinator (Lori Badgley)
10. Report from clinical coordinator
11. Other: chairperson for 2023

Minutes

1. Welcome and open the meeting

Dr. Maskey made a motion to accept the minutes as written and Dr. Sreedhar seconded the motion. All present were in favor of the motion to accept the minutes.

2. Distinguished RRT award – second year in a row

• Based on three years of outcomes data, hold accreditation without a progress report at the end of the year, document RRT credentialing success of 90% or above, meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for TMC high cut score and retention. Dr. Maskey congratulated the program for earning this award.

3. Self-study and site visit for continuing accreditation

• Self-study is in progress. There are a few attachments that need to be completed, one of which are the minutes from this meeting. Next week Jan will email the minutes for everyone to look over for approval. The self-study will be sent on June 28. From there it will go to the referee to look over and make any recommendations. The site visit will likely be next spring. 

4. CoARC annual report 2022

• Annual report will be sent in after we receive the results of the Program Personnel Survey. Jan will send the link right after this meeting.

• For the current period 3-year average 2019-2021

  • Retention 89% 

  • Job Placement 93%

  • RRT credentialing success 86%

  • TMC High Cut Score Success 90%

  • Overall Employer Satisfaction 100%

  • Overall Graduate Satisfaction 100%

• Dr. Sreedhar asked what the national average is for the above information. Jan did not know but will see what she can find out.

5. TMC and CSE action plan for 2021 results

• FYI-2026 there will no longer be a CSE. The respiratory therapy exam will be comprised of 160 scored multiple-choice questions. There will still be two cut scores for CRT and RRT.  

• TMC sub scores that fell below 85% of national average:

  • 1D-Evaluate Procedure Results (10 questions) 81%

  • 2C-Perform Quality Control Procedures (three questions) 70%

  • 4 out of 5 graduates for 2022 have taken the TMC and have scored:

  • 1D 107% and 2C 115%. We will continue to monitor.

• CSE sub scores that fell below 85% of national average:

  • 1E-Recommend Diagnostic Procedures 66%

  • 2B-Ensure Infection Prevention 50%

  • *3D-Administer Medications and Specialty Gases 82%

  • *3F-Utilize Evidence-Based Practice 48%

  • 3G-Provide Respiratory Care in High-Risk Situations 64%

• *3D and 3F have scored below national average cut score 2 out of 3 years.

• Action Plan:

  • The 2022 cohort began utilizing Kettering Classmate Clinical Simulation program throughout the entire program which will help them learn how to critically think through clinical situation. All didactic courses will develop and utilize more scenario-based questions to increase the student's confidence with making clinical decisions and altering patient care plans. This will help students improve most sections of the CSE that is currently below the national average. 

  • For section 2B, we will utilize more isolation techniques during lab and simulations. We will also investigate the possibility of students completing a clinical day in central sterilizing at one of our larger clinical sites. If this rotation can be approved, it will help the student cement sterilization processes with hands-on applications. 

  • Tamara Ajagbe asked if it would be helpful if the preceptors would be encouraged to ask more thought provoking questions regarding patient care. The Tech 1s and 2s could go into the ICUs and diagnostic areas during their down time to observe and learn. Jan said that it would be very helpful.

  • Felicia Strauch stated that she would be happy to come and present nitric oxide to the students and help in any other way that she can.

  • Dr. Sreedhar asked if there are mock exams that the students can use to help prepare them. Jan explained that we used to use RT Board Review, but they had closed their doors, so we are looking into LindseyJones.

  • Kristin King sent some information after the meeting regarding an App that the students could use that helps with medications. She used to work as a COPD educator.

6. Outcomes for 2022 grads so far

• Job Placement 100%
• CRT Success 100% (4 of 5 have taken the exam)
• TMC High-cut Score 100% (4 of 5 have taken the exam)
• RRT Success 2 out of 5 so far

7. CoARC surveys 2022

• Employer Overall rating of Grads = 3 and above

• Graduate Overall rating of Program = 3 and above

• Student Survey all areas rated 3 and above except 1 student marked Up-to-date equipment as below average.

• Dr. Sreedhar commented that there has been a shortage of BiPAP and CPAP machines because of Covid.   

• Jan stated that Program Personnel Survey will be sent immediately after this meeting.

8. Current/upcoming cohorts

• Class of 2023: started with 11 and have seven remaining. Three withdrew for personal reasons and two would like to come back. One academic drop at the end of the second semester.

• Class of 2024: 14 on the list to start so far.

9. Report from lab coordinator (Lori Badgley/Mike Meyers)

• We are currently working with Dr. Joi Kazenski from the LLCC nursing program on a possible IPE this fall. We don’t have much information at this time, but we are hoping that it can occur. Scheduling can be a problem for IPEs. We cannot count as clinical time per our accrediting body. We have to find ways to integrate these into our didactic or lab time. This is challenging, but we are working to find ways to do IPEs.  

• We have had some welcome additions to our lab/simulation area this year. We received an adult high-fidelity manikin from the nursing program, with an intact airway that allows for smoother simulations when we intubate (our old manikin kept coming apart). 

• We were also given a Perkins Grant to purchase a new simulator for our program. His name is Hal. He is specifically designed for respiratory care and mechanical ventilation. He has internal components that allow us to change compliance and/or resistance to demonstrate what that will look like on a mechanical ventilator. Ventilating pressures are also accurate since the mechanics are not on top of his lungs like most simulators are designed. He has breath sounds. He also has laryngospasm, upper airway swelling, and pneumothorax ability. We are very grateful for this grant and can’t wait to utilize him.

• We were also able to purchase a monitor from our budget that connects to Hal which is like what is seen in the ICU setting, adding realism to our simulation time. 

• We had a very basic infant manikin that we use for basic CPR and basic simulations. It was several years old and falling apart. We were able to replace that manikin as well. 

• Our lab is still supported with expired disposables from both SJH and SMH, we are greatly appreciative of! Thank you to all facilities that support our student's education!

10. Report from clinical coordinator (Mike Meyers)

• SMH and HSHS St. Johns continue to be our primary clinical sites. With the lower student numbers this past year we have not needed to utilize our other clinical sites but greatly appreciate them being there for us. It looks like we may have a full class this fall, so we look forward to utilizing their services.

• Surgery rotation – Students have said they were not getting very good direction while in surgery. Mike met with Jonell Hembrough, practice manager for anesthesia, and Dr. Barnett, medical director for surgery. Dr. Barnett said he would match up the students with one CRNA who they could stay with all day. He felt this may give a better flow to the rotation. We also discussed possibility of having a pre-rotation orientation for all the students. This may be a good idea, so they know their way around surgery better. We are also considering moving the rotation from Spring 1 to Spring 2 may help with the students becoming more comfortable.  

• We announced last year that we started a Critical Care Rounds rotation with the SIU Pulmonary Fellows. This seemed to work very well. My thanks again to Breanne Frieze, SIU Pulmonary FNP for all her help. She selects the patients that the student will present and helps the student meet up with the fellows after rounds.  

• Dr. Sreedhar said that it is going very well. The students are more engaged with the other learners (medical students) and follow the fellows for the rest of the afternoon after rounds.

• Preceptor Evaluator Training – Our preceptor evaluator training (CBL) has been updated and we hope to have them ready by next week. Mike asked the department managers to encourage staff that they feel would make good preceptor evaluators to complete the training. Managers can contact Mike directly (michael.meyers@llcc.edu). Mike asked managers to let current preceptor evaluators know we will be sending out a refresher that will update them on new paperwork.  

• E*Value – This is our clinical data system for procedures, time tracking, evaluations, etc. We have had a poor response from preceptors completing and commenting on evaluation. Very important that preceptors know that the students cannot see their responses. All comments are compiled (without names) for the student to see at the end of each semester.  

• Felicia Strauch said that one of the preceptors that she knows of is unable to get into the E*Value system. Mike will look into this.

• Felicia Strauch and Wendy Miller would like to help out if we need any other resources for NICU/Pedi. Program personnel will follow up on this.

11. Other: chairperson for 2023

• Jan Szoke asked if anyone would like to be the Chair for 2023. Kristin King volunteered to sit as chair. 

• Dr. Maskey made a motion to accept Kristin as the chair for 2023, and Dr. Sreedhar seconded the motion. All present were in favor of the motion to accept Kristin’s bid for continuing as chair for the advisory committee.

• Jan mentioned that the program has purchased Oake’s Academy for preceptor evaluators that need to reach the high-cut score in order to sit for the CSE-Facility managers/educators are encouraged to let Jan know if there is anyone that they would like to extend the offer to.  

• Jan encouraged everyone to complete the Program Personnel Survey.

• Dr. Maskey made a motion to end the meeting and Dr. Sreedhar seconded the motion. All present were in favor of ending the meeting.